piloting ephyto: samoa’s experience...(noni juice), taro, automotive parts, garments, beer ... •...

Keeping the risk offshore whilst facilitating Trade

Piloting ePhyto: Samoa’s Experience

Presenter: Talei Fidow-Moors


ECONOMIC OVERVIEW

GDP per capita 4395.97 USD in 2016/17

Labour Force

Industry sector: 58.4%

Services sector: 30.2%

Agriculture sector: 11.4%

Dependent on Development Aid, family remittances

Agricultural commodities: Fish, Coconuts, Taro, Giant taro, Breadfruit,

Bananas, Papaya, Eggplants, Cocoa, Yams, Cassava, Noni, Honey & various

fruits.

Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish, hydro-power, solar-power

Export commodities: fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, Morinda citrifolia

(noni juice), taro, automotive parts, garments, beer

Major export partners: NZ, Australia, USA & American Samoa.

Major import partners: NZ, Australia, USA, China and Fiji


SAMOA

Area: 2,842 km2

Capital: Apia

Population: 192,342

Ethnic groups: 92.6% Samoan,

7.0% Euronesians, 0.4%

Europeans & 0.1% East Asians.


ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE

Animal Production & Health Division

Minister’s Advisory Committee

Corporate Service

Division

Policy & Planning Division

Crops Division

Fisheries Division

Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries

Agriculture Sector Coordinating

unit

Internal Auditor

Legal Advisor

Chief Executive Officer

Crop Development

Consultant

Minister


Samoa Quarantine Division (SQS):


SQS SECTIONS:

Airports: Faleolo, Fagalii & (Maota-Savaii)

Seaports: Matautu-tai, Satitoa & (Saleologa-Savaii)

Technical policy

Regulatory & Enforcement

Public Awareness

Pesticides

Human resources: 33


How can we

Protect?

SQS Roles


DISCUSSION TOPICS

1.

Steps taken towards preparation for GeNS.

2.

Challenges faced.

3.

Expectations of the GeNS for Samoa


Current situation:

• Stand alone electronic system: SQID system (Access programme)

• SQID processes Phyto certs, Import Permits, Releases & Transfers.

• Certs and permits etc. are printed out manually, endorsed and handed to

clients.

• Printed, endorsed, scanned then emailed to clients if they are overseas.

• Payments made at the office or boarder upon arrival of goods.

• No form of online payment at present linked directly to the Samoa Quarantine

Division (SQS).

• No online registration for exporters.


Biosecurity in action!


Timber/Wood products

Containers

Pest diagnostics Spot checks


Proper collection of rubbish

Incineration

Fumigation

Heavy Duty Machinery

Vehicles


1. HTFA

2. FUMIGATION

4. Trade commodities,

not pests & diseases.

3. CLEAN AND SECURE


Steps taken so far:• Updated & sought support from MAF CEO & Minister.

• ePhyto Project Planning (EPP) workshop and field visit with officers from the

Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries was conducted from 22-26 August 2016.

• Established Management Team

• Established ePhyto Working Group & mailing

group.

• Teleconferences conducted with facilitators.

• ePhyto work plan was finalised & submitted .


Cont’ STEPS TAKEN SO FAR:

• Compiled process maps (Imports/Exports)

• Treatment lists compiled: Current & future

• Training requirements: scope of ePhyto training needs

• Change assessment

• Training assessment

• Stakeholder register

• Reporting requirements

• Legislation:

- Recognising the production of electronic copies of

Phytosanitary certificates.

- Offshore storage of data

• Inclusion of Legal officer in process.


CONT’ STEPS TAKEN SO FAR:I• Workstation estimates

• Contingency Plan was compiled by MAF IT unit.

• IT security: Policies in place

• Resource requirement: IT checks to see whether it can support GeNS.

• ePhyto Financial proposal submitted (Project Manager & Secretary)

• 2nd visit by consultants (Australian Department of Agriculture and Water

Resources) was from 3-6 April 2017.

Dr. Chin Karunaratne, Senior Project Scientist (ePhyto),

Business Systems Program, Plant Export Operations of

the Department of Agriculture in Australia


Additional steps taken:

• Trust account (MoF) & documents on Aid

coordination.

• Updated Quarantine Export Advisory Committee

about ePhyto pilot programme.

• Discussions with World Bank Mission & IPPC

consultant (May & November 2017).

- Sustainability: Local resources & Cost recovery

mechanism.

- Cost benefit analysis

- Linkages/alignment to Asycuda & Single

window in the long term

- Implementation guide for ePhyto

- Case study: Lesson learnt & experiences


Challenges faced:

• Lack of formal policies & procedures

• No electronic payment facility

• Security

• Lack of understanding (importers/exporters)

• People change

• Insufficient time to drive the project activities

• Cost – including cost/benefit assessment

• Ensuring adequate infrastructure in place

• Sustainability


Expectations of GeNS:

• More accurate reports generated for certs issued and received.

• Timely and secure exchange of information between competent authorities.

• Location of GeNS work stations.

• Changes in business processes.

• Improvement of security in transmission of certificate documentation

(electronic versus paper).

• Various registers made redundant.

• Improvement of planning for the arrival and clearance of plants and plant

products at customs that will need phytosanitary clearance.

• Conduct advocacy sessions (Seminars & workshops etc.)

• Review fees and schedule (Cost recovery)

• Sourcing external funds from various sources to improve infra-structure

development to facilitate GeNS implementation.


GeNS IN SAMOA TIMELINE


Terima kasih Banyak-Banyak.

piloting ephyto: samoa’s experience...(noni juice), taro, automotive parts, garments, beer ... •...

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